Recovery from a Grade 1 ACL Tear
As you may suspect, Grade 1 ACL injuries are the least severe and disruptive. In these cases, “tear” really refers to microscopic tearing within the ligament. The ACL has been overstretched and mildly damaged but is still able to support the knee. While patients will still be able to move and use their knee, there will likely be associated pain. The great news for these individuals is that treatment is noninvasive and recovery time is relatively quick.
In general, Grade 1 ACL tears are treated with methods such as bracing, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) for pain, and RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). When these precautions are taken, general healing time is about 2-4 weeks. However, it is important to get clearance from your physician before returning to physical activities to avoid reinjury.
Recovery from a Grade 2 ACL Tear
In a Grade 2 ACL tear, the microscopic tears of Grade 1 are more extensive tears of 20 – 80% of the ligament fibers. Patients will experience greater levels of pain and more obvious symptoms, including swelling, bruising, and knee instability. Weightbearing on the leg will not be possible without significant amounts of pain. Because of the severity in damage and associated symptoms, Grade 2 tears require longer periods of recovery of about 6-8 weeks and may even require surgical repair of the ACL. The decision of whether or not to operate can be made between patient and surgeon and will depend on factors such as age and activity level.
Recovery from a Grade 3 ACL Tear
A Grade 3 ACL tear is a complete tear of the ligament. It is accompanied by severe pain and obvious swelling and bruising. The knee will feel completely unstable and without the ability bear weight. Surgical repair of a Grade 3 tear is likely although not always necessary. If a patient lives a largely sedentary life with only mild physical activity, a complete recovery may be achieved using conservative treatment methods including several weeks of intensive orthopedic physical therapy. If surgery is chosen, full recovery and return to normal [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
In medical terms tears are sprains depending in severity not sure if a a l sprain needs surgery depending on severity etc…
For ACL a partial tear is grade 2 sprain. For an NFL athlete and his age. The only real option would be surgery. You don't want to mess up his career by not fixing the knee. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Nirvana58:
For ACL a partial tear is grade 2 sprain. For an NFL athlete and his age. The only really option would be surgery. You don't want to mess up his career by not fixing the knee.
Ya , they don’t tend to treat elite athletes conservatively. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Coochie liquor:
Take this with a grain of salt, but this is from Reddit by someone who claims to have someone on the inside.
Don’t take this as gospel, but a source in the Chiefs locker room says Rice has had two MRIs today and it’s NOT an ACL tear.
Don’t do that! Don’t give me hope!
But in all seriousness, seeking a second opinion seems a bit weird. Why would you need that? Either it’s worse than feared and he’s hoping the second opinion is a better prognosis or nothing was torn and he wants to confirm it before going back out on the field..? [Reply]